


Some Assembly Required

by ProfessorFlimflam



Category: Holby City
Genre: BAW - Berena Appreciation Week 2018, Berena Appreciation Week, DIY, F/F, Power Tools, breaking up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 19:14:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15691680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProfessorFlimflam/pseuds/ProfessorFlimflam
Summary: Serena is finally ready to clear Elinor’s room and prepare it for Jason and his new family. But could a break up be on the horizon?





	Some Assembly Required

Dropping her things into her handbag at the end of her shift, Serena smiled warmly at her partner, who had popped back to their shared office to see her off. Bernie would be working until well into the early hours, and had chosen to go back to her own flat to make sure she got a good night’s sleep afterwards. However sincerely Serena meant her promise to keep her hands to herself in the morning, experience had taught Bernie that it was a promise made to be broken.

Bernie leaned against doorframe as Serena pulled on her coat, then stepped into the room to offer a kiss as she tugged on Serena’s lapels, then smoothed them out again. 

“What will you do with your free morning?” 

“Oh, I’m going to be keeping busy! Time to bite the bullet and clear Elinor’s room out. I told you, didn’t I? I’m going to make it into a family room for Jason, Greta and Guinevere when they visit.”

Bernie gives her a little squeeze. “You did. It makes sense, I think, though I know it’s a tough thing to do.”

Serena shook her head thoughtfully. “Do you know, it really isn’t. I thought it would be, but I cleared the last of her things out the last time I had a couple of days off, on my own, and it was alright. I'd already boxed up the things I really want to keep - I couldn't look at them before, but perhaps soon…”

Bernie dropped another kiss on her forehead. “So how much is there still to do?”

“The Holby Refugee Support Network has already taken most of the furniture, though the wardrobe was too big for them to take - and to be honest, it probably just needs to go to the tip now, it’s that old and battered. I’ll have to take it apart to get it there, though. And the new furniture for Jason and his little brood is being delivered first thing tomorrow morning, so that of all needs assembling: bed, cot, bookcase, changing table, chest of drawers…”

“Sounds like a mammoth task - I’ll come over, shall I?”

Serena looked absently up from her handbag, where she was rummaging for her car keys.

“Yes, do - that would be nice. Say around three? I know you’re here until late tonight - why don’t you have a proper lie in, hmm?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Bernie agreed. “I’ve had a few lates this week - I’m ready to enjoy a mini hibernation, I think.”

Triumphantly fishing her car keys out of the bag, Serena smiled at her. “You deserve it. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon, then.”

***

The next afternoon, Bernie was there on the doorstep at minute or two after three o’clock. Opening the front door, Serena gave a low whistle. Bernie was in full Big Macho Army Medic mode. She wore a tight white ribbed vest with a pair of even tighter jeans, and a leather work belt was slung round her narrow hips, a variety of tools and gadgets tucked into its pockets and loops.

“Well, hel- _lo_ ,” she drawled lasciviously. “Are you my strippergram? I do hope so,” and she licked her lips.

“Oi, you!” Bernie protests, “That’s objectification.”

“Mm, but what a beautiful object you are! What’s with the fancy dress? Are we experimenting with role play today?” And the look on her face suggested she wasn’t entirely joking.

“Hah! No - we’re building Jason and Greta’s furniture today, remember?”

Serena dropped out of the bored housewife persona she had been preparing to cultivate, and laughed. “Oh, don’t worry about that - it’s all sorted. I did it this morning. It’s sweet of you to offer, though.”

“Already done it? But - but I brought my electric screwdriver and everything,” Bernie said disconsolately, rather pathetically tugging it out of the tool belt and showing it to her partner. Serena scoffed.

“That’s not a screwdriver. _This_ is a screwdriver.” And picking it up from behind the door, Serena brandished her hefty Makita 18v lithium cordless hammer drill - with an Allen key bit in place.

Bernie’s jaw dropped, and a look akin to reverence crossed her face.

“Serena, that’s a seriously nice bit of kit! Did they leave it behind? You’d better give them a ring - those things are expensive.”

“Did who leave it behind? Give who a ring?” Serena was baffled by almost everything Bernie had said and done since she turned up on the doorstep.

Bernie looked at her blankly. “The workmen, of course. They’re bound to need it for their next job - seriously - give them a call.”

“What are you you talking about, Bernie? What workmen? I haven’t had any workmen round. This is mine - I told you I was building the furniture this morning, didn’t I?”

“But I was coming round to help you,” Bernie pouted. “Did you really do it all yourself?”

Serena gave her an offended look. “What, you think I don’t know which end of a spanner is which? Of course I did - it wasn’t difficult, not with the right tools for the job.”

Bernie’s shoulders slumped, and Serena took pity on her.

“Tell you what, I’ve got a power tool upstairs we can use together if you like?” She winked at Bernie with a positively filthy look in her eye, and Bernie perked up immediately. Her hands flew to the clasp of her tool belt, but Serena’s hand was faster as she grasped Bernie’s wrist lightly to stop her.

“Oh, I think we’ll leave that on for now, don’t you?”

***

Some hours later, they staggered downstairs for refreshment. Serena fished a bottle of Shiraz from the rack and opened it, and when she turned round to get the wine glasses, she found Bernie looking longingly at her Makita. Clearly, she still felt she had missed out on some of the fun today.

Serena went to the little storage room for a second and came back with a heavy sledgehammer, which she handed to Bernie, who almost dropped it. She jerked her head in the direction of the discarded wardrobe out on the driveway.

“There you go, Butch - you can break that lot up if you like.”

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, like I was going to write a break up for these two! Now let’s all just think about Bernie wielding a sledge hammer, wearing that little white vest (how many has she _got?!_ ) and her leather toolbelt.
> 
> Nice.


End file.
